A visit to the lab before a visit to the beach?

Access to the sunshine state is no longer something we can take for granted. Even after the lockdown is officially over and flights resume operations, travellers flying into Goa may need to produce a COVID-19 health certificate before being allowed to enter the state. It’s one of the measures Goa is considering to check the spread of the coronavirus outbreak and flatten the curve and also keep locals and travellers safe.

A health certificate to enter Goa?

Goa Health Minister Vishwajit Rane, who proposed this measure on Tuesday, said he has urged Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to take up the matter with the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation. These COVID-19 health certificates must be issued by central government-approved labs, he has suggested.

The Goa government has already launched a COVID Locator app, a GPS-based location tracker that helps keep a tab on those in home quarantine. Other plans include establishing 10 rapid-testing booths at state borders and industrial estates as well making masks compulsory in all public spaces.

Goa’s beaches, luxurious resorts, food and nightlife make it a preferred destination for both international and domestic travellers. The state had over 7 million tourists in 2019, of which half a million were foreigners.